Today it was not about the weather -- it was about an altercation that I had with a car ... and a tire that kept getting flat.
On the first score -- 4 miles into my ride I go under this overpass. There is a stop sign at the bottom of the slope and then I'm onto US1. This is probably the only spot in the entire ride in any direction of any distance where you cannot see approaching cross traffic -- but they have a stop sign and I always have plenty of time to stop ... not today. Today the guy on the cross street must have decided that since he could not see any traffic on my street and since my street also has a stop sign, that he didn't have to stop.
Well ... there he was in front of me and I was probably doing about 20. I slammed on the brakes and somehow ended up landing on my back or rolling, not sure which -- this is what I have deduced by looking at the bruises and marks on my back. I got no road rash on my arms or legs but bruised my right shoulder (this is in questionable shape right now) and ... ahem ... shattered my helmet. I don't think that I hit the car -- because a) I would have been bruised differently and b) my bike would have hit the car. There was no damage to the bike at all -- it all happened so fast -- I was up, checking myself and the bike -- the guy stopped, checked his car but couldn't find anything -- we were both at fault.
I did scrape my face -- actually my glasses scraped my face -- not badly but I didn't realize until I got home that blood had trickled down my face into my beard so I made quite a sight.
So .. since I figured that I would not feel any better at home, I continued riding. It was slow -- I was shaken -- and hurting a little -- that shoulder. Also, I figured that I might hurt like hell the next day and need a day off so I might as well get this day of riding in. Tune in tomorrow for that news !
It was a painful ride -- not so much from the fall but I ended up getting a small wire stuck through the tread that I could not find on the ride and had three flats. I gave up patching and just kept filling the last tube (every mile at the end) ... you get the idea. Riding with a mostly flat tire was just the icing on the cake for today's ride.
Back at the ranch I finally saw the extent of my scrapes and bruises and after getting cleaned up, provided explanations to the audience.
I was lucky. There are other 4-way stops on the ride where I have good vis in all directions. This is the only spot where I do not -- lesson learned ...
I've ordered another helmet ...
Ride stats -- 60 miles; 15.8 mph.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
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2 comments:
So - when do you start blogging with a picture thrown in here and there for good measure?
A good pic would be a black eye pic - so we can feel your pain ;-)
Sandy did take one - or?
It must hurt like the dickens!
Ibuprofen does wonders. I'm letting the black eye fade by itself into forgetfulness, which a photo would not let me do. I have, however, saved the helmet.
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